About Us — Vertical Studios ATL | Atlanta Vertical Production

AUDREY DEITZ

Co-Founder · Creative Producer

Audrey Deitz has been acting, producing, 1st ADing, and directing non-union productions in Atlanta since 2017. Having gotten her school-of-hard-knocks education in film through indie productions, she took to vertical filmmaking quite naturally, favoring its ultralite crew, low-budget, lightning-fast approach to getting the job done. Having worked almost every position on a film set from the ground up, her leadership style as an EP and Director is crew-focused, emphasizing respect, teamwork, and thinking outside the box. Her unique creative approach to verticals has produced multiple platforms' biggest hits, including "Found a Homeless Billionaire Husband for Christmas," which continues to break streaming records with over 400 million global views.

MICHAEL SOKOL

Co-Founder · Executive Producer

Michael Sokol is one of the most beloved indie producers in Atlanta. He has been writing, producing, and directing in ATL for almost 20 years, developing and producing content for VH1, Comedy Central, Food Network, Adult Swim, Tubi, and BET. Other credits include Cake (FXX) and Mandy (SpectreVision). An early adopter of verticals, he produced on some of the first vertical series ever made in the United States and has produced over 40 micro-drama vertical series since, continuously evolving his approach as the medium has evolved to cater to U.S. audiences. Speaking of catering, Michael is also a major foodie and is known for treating his crews not just with respect, but also to the best meals ever seen on a non-union set. When Atlanta crew see Michael's name on a project, they sign on because they know they'll be taken care of, and we love him for it.

What Drives Us

OUR
Values

FORMAT MASTERY

Vertical series compete in a completely different arena than traditional TV — they go up against TikToks, Reels, and an endless feed of content optimized to hijack attention. We design our shows to win that fight. We obsess over the hooks that stop the scroll, the pacing that holds it, and the cliffhangers that get them over the paywall. The producers and directors we hire understand that vertical isn't an inconvenient limitation to our creativity — it's our primary creative language.

CREW FIRST

The best vertical series aren't made by burned-out crews working for nothing — they're made by talented artists who actually want to be there. We pay fair wages, serve two healthy meals a day, and build sets where mutual respect, good work and good vibes go hand in hand. That reputation attracts the best crew in Atlanta — people who show up energized, invested, and proud of the work. When your crew is treated well, it shows on screen.

PLATFORM PARTNERSHIP

We build long-term relationships with platforms, not transactions. Understanding what each platform needs — technically and creatively — makes our content perform better. Come with your style guide and data analytics — our team is ready to execute your vision, your way.

ATLANTA'S VERTICAL
Production Company

Vertical Studios ATL was built with a singular focus: produce world-class narrative drama for the vertical screen. Michael and Audrey have produced content across a lot of formats — but they're here because they believe vertical is where the industry is going, and they want to help define what it looks like when it gets there.

That means more than making great content. It means building a production company with real ethical standards — one that proves you don't have to exploit your cast and crew to make record-breaking, money-making verticals. We pay fair wages. We feed people well. We treat the workers who make this medium possible with the respect they deserve. And we churn out record-breaking hits for the platforms who partner with us.

Vertical Studios ATL exists to manifest a vertical industry where everyone wins — the platforms, the audiences, and the people on set making the magic happen. If you're as excited about that vision as we are, visit our contact page and let's make a vertical!

MEET THECo-Founders